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2 Corinthians 12

2 Corinthians

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New American Standard Bible 1995

2 Corinthians 12

Paul’s Vision

11Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and 2revelations 3of the Lord. 2I know a man 4in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, 5God knows--such a man was 6caught up to the 7third heaven. 3And I know how such a man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, 8God knows-- 4was 9caught up into 10Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. 511On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my 12weaknesses. 6For if I do wish to boast I will not be 13foolish, 14for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.

A Thorn in the Flesh

7Because of the surpassing greatness of the 15revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a 16thorn in the flesh, a 17messenger of Satan to 18torment me--to keep me from exalting myself! 8Concerning this I implored the Lord 19three times that it might leave me. 9And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for 20power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather 21boast 22about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10Therefore 23I am well content with weaknesses, with 24insults, with 25distresses, with 26persecutions, with 27difficulties, 28for Christ’s sake; for 29when I am weak, then I am strong.

11I have become 30foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for 31in no respect was I inferior to the 32most eminent apostles, even though 33I am a nobody. 12The 3435signs 36of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by 37signs and wonders and 38miracles. 13For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that 39I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me 40this wrong!

14Here 41for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I 42will not be a burden to you; for I 43do not seek what is yours, but 44you; for 45children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but 46parents for their children. 15I will 47most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If 48I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16But be that as it may, I 49did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I 50took you in by deceit. 1751Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? 18I 52urged 53Titus to go, and I sent 54the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not 55conduct ourselves 56in the same 57spirit and walk 58in the same steps?

19All this time 59you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, 60it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and 61all for your upbuilding, 62beloved. 20For I am afraid that perhaps 63when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be 64strife, jealousy, 65angry tempers, 66disputes, 67slanders, 68gossip, 69arrogance, 70disturbances; 21I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have 71sinned in the past and not repented of the 72impurity, 73immorality and sensuality which they have practiced.

Notes

  1. 1. 2 Corinthians 12:1 2 Cor 11:16, 18, 30; 12:5, 9 ↩
  2. 2. 2 Corinthians 12:1 1 Cor 14:6; 2 Cor 12:7; Gal 1:12; 2:2; Eph 3:3 ↩
  3. 3. 2 Corinthians 12:1 Or from ↩
  4. 4. 2 Corinthians 12:2 Rom 16:7 ↩
  5. 5. 2 Corinthians 12:2 2 Cor 11:11 ↩
  6. 6. 2 Corinthians 12:2 Ezek 8:3; Acts 8:39; 2 Cor 12:4; 1 Thess 4:17; Rev 12:5 ↩
  7. 7. 2 Corinthians 12:2 Deut 10:14; Ps 148:4; Eph 4:10; Heb 4:14 ↩
  8. 8. 2 Corinthians 12:3 2 Cor 11:11 ↩
  9. 9. 2 Corinthians 12:4 Ezek 8:3; Acts 8:39; 2 Cor 12:2; 1 Thess 4:17; Rev 12:5 ↩
  10. 10. 2 Corinthians 12:4 Luke 23:43 ↩
  11. 11. 2 Corinthians 12:5 2 Cor 12:1 ↩
  12. 12. 2 Corinthians 12:5 1 Cor 2:3; 2 Cor 12:9f ↩
  13. 13. 2 Corinthians 12:6 2 Cor 5:13; 11:16f; 12:11 ↩
  14. 14. 2 Corinthians 12:6 2 Cor 7:14 ↩
  15. 15. 2 Corinthians 12:7 2 Cor 12:1 ↩
  16. 16. 2 Corinthians 12:7 Num 33:55; Ezek 28:24; Hos 2:6 ↩
  17. 17. 2 Corinthians 12:7 Job 2:6; Matt 4:10; 1 Cor 5:5 ↩
  18. 18. 2 Corinthians 12:7 Lit beat ↩
  19. 19. 2 Corinthians 12:8 Matt 26:44 ↩
  20. 20. 2 Corinthians 12:9 1 Cor 2:5; Eph 3:16; Phil 4:13 ↩
  21. 21. 2 Corinthians 12:9 1 Cor 2:3; 2 Cor 12:5 ↩
  22. 22. 2 Corinthians 12:9 Lit in ↩
  23. 23. 2 Corinthians 12:10 Rom 5:3; 8:35 ↩
  24. 24. 2 Corinthians 12:10 Or mistreatment ↩
  25. 25. 2 Corinthians 12:10 2 Cor 6:4 ↩
  26. 26. 2 Corinthians 12:10 2 Thess 1:4; 2 Tim 3:11 ↩
  27. 27. 2 Corinthians 12:10 2 Cor 6:4 ↩
  28. 28. 2 Corinthians 12:10 2 Cor 5:15, 20 ↩
  29. 29. 2 Corinthians 12:10 2 Cor 13:4 ↩
  30. 30. 2 Corinthians 12:11 2 Cor 5:13; 11:16f; 12:6 ↩
  31. 31. 2 Corinthians 12:11 1 Cor 15:10; 2 Cor 11:5 ↩
  32. 32. 2 Corinthians 12:11 Or super-apostles ↩
  33. 33. 2 Corinthians 12:11 1 Cor 3:7; 13:2; 15:9 ↩
  34. 34. 2 Corinthians 12:12 Or attesting miracles ↩
  35. 35. 2 Corinthians 12:12 John 4:48; Rom 15:19; 1 Cor 9:1 ↩
  36. 36. 2 Corinthians 12:12 Lit of the apostle ↩
  37. 37. 2 Corinthians 12:12 Or attesting miracles ↩
  38. 38. 2 Corinthians 12:12 Or works of power ↩
  39. 39. 2 Corinthians 12:13 1 Cor 9:12, 18; 2 Cor 11:9; 12:14 ↩
  40. 40. 2 Corinthians 12:13 2 Cor 11:7 ↩
  41. 41. 2 Corinthians 12:14 2 Cor 1:15; 13:1, 2 ↩
  42. 42. 2 Corinthians 12:14 1 Cor 9:12, 18; 2 Cor 11:9; 12:13 ↩
  43. 43. 2 Corinthians 12:14 1 Cor 10:24, 33 ↩
  44. 44. 2 Corinthians 12:14 1 Cor 9:19 ↩
  45. 45. 2 Corinthians 12:14 1 Cor 4:14f; Gal 4:19 ↩
  46. 46. 2 Corinthians 12:14 Prov 19:14; Ezek 34:2 ↩
  47. 47. 2 Corinthians 12:15 Rom 9:3; 2 Cor 1:6; Phil 2:17; Col 1:24; 1 Thess 2:8; 2 Tim 2:10 ↩
  48. 48. 2 Corinthians 12:15 2 Cor 11:11 ↩
  49. 49. 2 Corinthians 12:16 2 Cor 11:9 ↩
  50. 50. 2 Corinthians 12:16 2 Cor 11:20 ↩
  51. 51. 2 Corinthians 12:17 2 Cor 9:5 ↩
  52. 52. 2 Corinthians 12:18 2 Cor 8:6 ↩
  53. 53. 2 Corinthians 12:18 2 Cor 2:13 ↩
  54. 54. 2 Corinthians 12:18 2 Cor 8:18 ↩
  55. 55. 2 Corinthians 12:18 Lit walk ↩
  56. 56. 2 Corinthians 12:18 Or by the same Spirit ↩
  57. 57. 2 Corinthians 12:18 1 Cor 4:21 ↩
  58. 58. 2 Corinthians 12:18 Rom 4:12 ↩
  59. 59. 2 Corinthians 12:19 Or have you been thinking...? ↩
  60. 60. 2 Corinthians 12:19 Rom 9:1; 2 Cor 2:17 ↩
  61. 61. 2 Corinthians 12:19 Rom 14:19; 2 Cor 10:8; 1 Thess 5:11 ↩
  62. 62. 2 Corinthians 12:19 Heb 6:9 ↩
  63. 63. 2 Corinthians 12:20 1 Cor 4:21; 2 Cor 2:1-4 ↩
  64. 64. 2 Corinthians 12:20 1 Cor 1:11; 3:3 ↩
  65. 65. 2 Corinthians 12:20 Gal 5:20 ↩
  66. 66. 2 Corinthians 12:20 Rom 2:8; 1 Cor 11:19 ↩
  67. 67. 2 Corinthians 12:20 Rom 1:30; James 4:11; 1 Pet 2:1 ↩
  68. 68. 2 Corinthians 12:20 Rom 1:29 ↩
  69. 69. 2 Corinthians 12:20 1 Cor 4:6, 18; 5:2 ↩
  70. 70. 2 Corinthians 12:20 1 Cor 14:33 ↩
  71. 71. 2 Corinthians 12:21 2 Cor 13:2 ↩
  72. 72. 2 Corinthians 12:21 1 Cor 6:9, 18; Gal 5:19; Col 3:5 ↩
  73. 73. 2 Corinthians 12:21 I.e. sexual immorality ↩

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 12

New American Standard Bible 1995 — © 1960–1995 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.